Copyright

A low-budget anti-Muslim film that sparked violence in the Middle East and death threats to the actors involved was compared with the likes of “Titanic” and “The Lord of the Rings” in a federal appeals court Monday.

It was a caffeine-charged Hollywood whodunit: Just whose bright idea was the “Dumb Starbucks” coffee shop that popped up and started serving free drinks from the corner of an otherwise uncelebrated strip mall.